SSRC ITIC 2001 Work PaperE-Governance, International Cooperation and Security - New Millennium Challenges for a Small Country.Neki FrasheriSSRCITIC Program Fellow - Summer 20011.IntroductionTalking about Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and their impact on developingcountries (DCs), about the information society, electronic-governance and potential “leapfrogs” of thesecountries into a prosperous future, all this is becoming a common thing for researches, journalists,politicians, and sociologists. Perhaps it is talked more about the possible futures and less about the present,and how this present may condition the future. One thing is sure - information and communicationtechnology is changing the world, enriching and integrating communication means worldwide breaking allgeographical and social borders. It is important to consider ICT as a key tool in the hands of humanity, andnot as an actor playing a key role in the history. It is creating conditions for more economical and politicalfreedom, which may lead to new movements and institutions for democracy [Joshi 1999]. We are at thebeginning of a new technological revolution whose consequences is difficult to evaluate. The ICT impactsget shaped as result of the fusion of globalization, worldwide connectivity and knowledge networking[Choucri, 2000]. A revolution makes new power structures to arise over old ones; and always technologyhas been the catalyst, not the cause [Wriston, 1997b].In the paper we make a criticism of different views on the supposed role of ICT for the future of humansociety. This criticism is seen from the point of view of a small developing post-communist country asAlbania, hoping that the conclusions would throw some light for developing countries in general, especiallythose in a transition stage. We examine some aspects of international collaboration and security, where theICT implemented in the public administration may have an important impact. Understanding the role ofpublic administration and the structure of its interfacing with the public and NGOs is the next subject, to befollowed by the discussion of e-governance issues. Based on these arguments, the development policies andpractices are examined, including relations between public and private sectors. Following arguments ofmany authors, we identify or redefine some crucial factors that negatively impact the role of ICT in thedevelopment of the country, its relations with the international community, and ways to push forward itsdevelopment.Of course DCs have big differences with western developed countries. But even between DCs themselvesthere are big differences, due to the geographical position, history and cultural heritage. Albania is adeveloping country situated in a good geographical position. For a long time it remained isolated from therest of the world in a kind of total “communist self-colonial regime” (as defined by the journal Natureduring the 1970s). During the last ten years it is undergoing a turbulent transition time switching from

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